The invention relates to a control element or control lever for the manual control of the movements of a system to be controlled.
It is known to use a control lever in the control of a mechanism or system, such as a lever or a joystick which may be pivoted about one or two axes. Such control levers permit a control of a mechanism with two degrees of freedom. For example, EP-A-0 981 078 describes a control lever in the form of a joystick which can be moved by means of a universal joint in two directions, to the front and the rear as well as to the left and the right. On the grip of the control lever there are two electric push-button switches for generating further control signals.
Additional control elements, such as rollers or electrical push-button switches can be integrated into a control lever for the control of the movement in more than two degrees of freedom, such as in a spatial dimension. But the operation may become complicated and ergonomically less than optimal.
An object of the present invention is to provide a control lever which permits control of more than two and up to six degrees of freedom.
An object of the present invention is to provide such a control lever which has only one handgrip, and which can be operated in all degrees of freedom, without the need for actuating additional activating elements.
An object of the present invention is to provide such a control lever which has a simple design and which operates ergonomically.
These and other objects are achieved by the present invention, wherein a control lever includes a handgrip, and is configured as a control lever which can be operated by an operator. The handgrip is fastened to a platform, so that the platform follows the movement of the handgrip, or so that forces applied to the handgrip are transmitted to the platform. At least six connecting elements are arranged between the platform and a fixed console. Furthermore, transducers or sensors are provided for detecting changes in length of the connecting elements or for sensing tension and compression forces applied to the connecting elements. Forces in six degrees of freedom may be applied to the handgripxe2x80x94in three different translational directions and about three different axes of rotation. The length signals or force signals are associated with the connecting elements.
From the length signals or the force signals three coordinates and three orientation angles can be determined which represent the position of the platform with respect to the console or which represent the force vectors and moment vectors applied to the handgrip. The sensor signals represent unequivocally the position of the handgrip or the forces and moments applied to the handgrip. In the calculation of the coordinates known methods can be applied, such as described by Hebsacker, M., in The Definition of the Kinematic of the Hexaglide.xe2x80x94xe2x80x9cMethods for the Definition of Parallel Machine Toolsxe2x80x9d, VDI reports No. 1427, 1998.
The length or force sensor signals are evaluated by a control unit and utilized for the control of the movement of the system to be controlled. The control unit calculates the immediate position of the handgrip or the forces and moments applied to the handgrip from the sensor signals, and transmits corresponding control signals to the system that is to be controlled.
Thus, the control lever of the invention can be used for the manual control of movement of a system to be controlled, for example, as well as a virtual system. With only one control lever, movement of a system can be controlled in up to six degrees of freedom, without the need for the actuation of additional switches and the like. Thus, the system can be controlled in a simple and ergonomically favorable way.
Preferably, the connecting elements are arranged in the form of a hexapod. Hexapods have been used, for example, in measurement implements for determining the accuracy of position of machine tools (DE-A-35 04 464), in motorized coordinate measurement implements (DE-A-197 20 049) and in robot kinematics. A hexapod is an arrangement of connecting elements, that make possible movement in six degrees of freedom, and which may include six or more (for example, eight) connecting elements. By using a hexapod arrangement in connection with a control lever it is possible to move the handgrip and with it the platform in six degrees of freedom and to convert the movements unequivocally into control signals. The handgrip can be pivoted, for example, to the side in two directions, rotated about its axis, shifted to the side in two directions, and shifted inward and outward in the direction of its axis. If force sensors are used, the movements of the handgrip may be so small that they cannot be sensed by the operator. In this case the operator will not perform a definite spatial repositioning of the handgrip, but will apply forces to the handgrip that correspond to the desired control signals. Such a versatile actuation of a handgrip is not possible with control levers previously known.
The invention can be used to control mechanisms with more than two degrees of freedom. A preferred application is in connection with an attachment interface or hitch for coupling of implements to a utility vehicle, as is described in DE-A-199 51 840. This attachment interface includes six hydraulic cylinders arranged in a hexapod between a tractor and a coupling frame. The hydraulic cylinders can be controlled by the control lever of the present, wherein the signals of each length or force sensor of the control lever hexapod is used to control a corresponding hydraulic cylinder of the attachment interface hexapod.
The present invention could also be used as a so-called xe2x80x9cthree-dimensional mousexe2x80x9d and for the control of virtual movements, such as could be displayed on a monitor.
Preferably, the connecting elements are telescoping and are arranged in a hexapod. Each telescoping leg includes two telescoping rods that can be shifted axially relative to each other, and which have free ends which engage the platform or the console, which are free to pivot in all directions, and which are attached at attachment points which are located near the corners of a triangle. The telescoping legs are equipped with length or distance sensors which provide length signals corresponding to the length of the associated telescoping leg.
Each telescoping leg may include a cylinder housing open at both ends and which engages a slidable telescoping rod. The telescoping rods are supported by springs in their central position. By actuation of the control lever against the force of the springs, the length of the spring legs can be varied. If the control lever is released, the platform and with it the control lever returns to the central position. Alternatively, or in addition to the springs, each telescoping rod can be guided by a friction fit in the cylinder housing, so that for a shift in length friction forces must be overcome.
The length sensors may be sliding variable resistance type sensors. But it is also possible to employ, for example, inductive, capacitative or opto-electronic length sensors.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the connecting elements are generally rigid in their length, so that they can neither be extended nor shortened by the application of axial forces. The tension and compression forces applied to the connecting elements by the actuation of the handgrip are measured by force sensors. Force sensors may, for example, be strain gages or piezo-electric sensors.
The attaching point of the connecting elements at the platform and/or at the console are located preferably near the corners of an equilateral triangle. Two connecting elements are connected near each corner, and can be pivoted in two directions. But it may also be appropriate to arrange the connecting joints approximately in the corners of a square or of a hexagon or in some other geometric shape. In a square, for example, two connecting elements can each engage two adjoining corners of the square and in each case one or two of the remaining connecting elements may be connected in joints to the other two corners of the square.
In order to avoid bending of the connecting elements, it is appropriate to pivotally connect the connecting elements with the platform and/or with the console. As a result of such pivotal connections, the connecting elements experience only tension and compression forces, so that the structure remains statically determinate. The forces can be detected by force sensors or by the measurement of a change in length of the connecting elements.
In the case of force sensors, it is advantageous to fasten the connecting elements rigidly to the console and to pivotally connect them to the platform. Preferably, for each of the pivotal connections, one or more rubber-like elements are employed, that permit a tilting to the side of the connecting elements with respect to the platform, but are sufficiently rigid to transmit tension and compression forces.
Particularly preferably, the platform includes bending elements to each of which a rigid connecting element is engaged, and that bend upon loading by forces or moments of the handgrip. The bending elements are preferably configured as rods or brackets and with at least one end connected rigidly to the platform. The rods are arranged transverse to the length of the connecting elements. The term transverse includes other angles besides a rectangular configuration between the directions of the bending element and the connecting element. Most appropriately, the bending elements have only one end connected to the platform and extend to a free end to the side of the platform.
With two or more connecting elements engaged at the corners of a platform, such as a triangular platform, it is advantageous to provide near each of the corners rods or brackets configured as bending elements arranged alongside each other and generally extending parallel to each other. A connecting element engages near the free end of each rod or each bracket. The brackets may be configured, for example, in such a way that the platform is slit in its corners and the slits are directed generally towards the center of the platform.
Preferably, at least on the upper side or on the underside of a bending element (for example, a bracket) a strain gage is arranged, oriented generally in the radial direction, that is, toward the center of the platform, in the region between the attachment point of the connecting element and the central region of the platform. The upper side and the underside of the bending element defines surfaces of the bending element that extend generally transverse to the length of the connecting elements.
For temperature compensation and signal amplification, strain gages are mounted on the upper side as well as on the underside of a bending element. The two strain gages are connected into a half bridge circuit. The half bridge circuit can be supplemented to a full bridge internally within an amplifier which generates an output signal in form of a bridge detuning.
A bridge voltage can be conducted to an amplifier which is integrated into a micro-controller. For example, six output voltages may be generated for six connecting elements from six associated amplifiers, which are a measure of the forces generated in the connecting elements. The micro-controller could also perform an entire calculation of the geometry, convert the output signals into force and moment components, and transmit such data over a bus connection, for example, a CAN bus. The absolute value of each force and moment component may represent a desired velocity of the movement of the system to be controlled. The directions of the forces represent the direction of the translation, and the direction of the moments represent the direction of the rotation of the system.
In order to guarantee reliable signal processing and to reduce the cost of wiring, it is appropriate to arrange elements and associated evaluation electronics on the platform. The evaluation electronic can be provided with integrated semiconductor elements, such as is normal practice for pressure and acceleration sensors.
Preferably, the control lever is in the form of a joystick. It is particularly appropriate to configure the handgrip in the form of an angle lever in which one leg extends, vertically away from the platform and the other free leg extends generally at a right angle directed generally parallel to the platform. In a non-actuated rest position, the free leg extends upward and can be actuated comfortably by an operator within the frame of six degrees of freedom.
For additional function capability, a control element is arranged near the free end of the handgrip, such as, for example, a switch or push-button which can be actuated by a finger or the thumb, by means of which an electric switch is actuated. Or, a roller may be connected with an electric analog transmitter. An activating flap can also be mounted on the handgrip, such as described in DE-A-0 981 078. By means of control elements of this type safety requirements can be met and further function can be controlled, without the need for the operator to remove his hand from the handgrip. Furthermore, the control element can be integrated into the method of operation so that the system to be controlled can be moved by actuation of the handgrip only when an operating switch integrated into the handgrip is actuated. In this way an unintended actuation of the system to be controlled can be avoided, for example, during travel.
Preferably the output characteristic of the control unit depends in a nonlinear manner on the tension and compression forces measured, so that in a linear increase of the bending force provides a non-linear operating velocity as input for the system to be controlled. By a corresponding change to the output characteristic it is possible to control a response level for the system.
From the six measurement magnitudes (measured values of length or force) the forces or the lengths can be calculated in any desired coordinate system by coordinate transformation. In particular, the magnitudes of the forces in the principal axes of the handgrip can be determined. From these the magnitudes of movement (for example, target velocities in each of the directions) of the structure to be controlled are calculated. Such a control lever can be used to control a system configured as a hexapod, such as a hexapod hitch system of a utility vehicle.
If the controlled system is a hexapod hitch or implement attachment, then preferably, the hexapod geometry of the control lever will conform to the geometry of the hexapod hitch system. For example, the lengths and pivot points of the telescoping legs can be in a fixed relationship to the lengths and pivot point locations of the drive elements of the hexapod system, so that the kinematics of the two hexapod arrangements are similar or identical to each other. Thereby, lengths or changes in length of the telescoping legs can be transferred directly to the drive element, for example, the hydraulic cylinder strokes of the system to be controlled and the cost of programming a control unit can be reduced.
Preferably, the control unit generates control signals which are used to control a coupling arrangement, such as a coupling triangle of a vehicle attachment arrangement or hitch. Thereby, the operator can operate the coupling triangle from the vehicle platform as desired, in order to perform coupling operations, or to move a coupled implement. The control lever can also be used to control a vehicle power lift, such as a front power lift. The control lever can also be used to control a vehicle component, in which case the console of the control lever is part of a vehicle console which is part of a vehicle operator""s platform.